There was only one patron in attendance Tuesday night at Saratoga Schools to hear Mineral Springs School Superintendent Curtis Turner explain the proposed bond restructuring to allow the construction of a new K-12 facility at Mineral Springs.(Therewas total of seven people present counting the patron, a reporter, a school board member and 4school personnel.) The proposal would not increase the millage, but is necessary to finance the $19 million construction project.

Superintendent Turner said the restructuring would allow the district to borrow funds to build. He said the district has gained state approval for the bond issue and from the facilities section of the Arkansas Department of Education. Regardless of passing or failing, the district millage rate would be unchanged, but a no vote would hinder plans for the new facility.

When asked about the recent action to place Mineral Springs High School on Academic Distress by the State Board of Education and the three years to show test score improvements to get off, versus the 32 year life of the bond issue, Superintendent Turner says he worries a lot about the worst case scenario of a state takeover and total shutdown. But he said "things are in place, and he is convinced, there will be a turnaround."Turner said things are already getting better. He said the district's legal counsel "has advised them to proceed with construction plans."

The superintendent said another great worry is student numbers, with the hope that new facilities would cause students to return to the district. He said the "greatest overriding concern is the 350 student minimum and dropping below that student count would cause trouble quicker than anything." Turner said, quote, "We have a lot of kids that have gone to Nashville, and efforts are constant to curb it and protect our district." Unquote.

When asked about only one polling place open election day in Mineral Springs, Turner said the district would do its best to add other precincts in the future, and said having just one polling place "was not by design." He said he has fielded a number of inquiries about that issue. He said the district sent 20 letters to area churches to try and get the word out about the public information meetings.

At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Turner said he would love for the Saratoga campus to become a vocational center to be used by area schools to teach various trades. He said that's a market that we can address, even starting on a small scale. Part of the key to that plan is finding the needs of industry. He added that would be a good way to utilize the facilities at Saratoga.

Election day is September 20 with all district residents, regardless of their county of residence, voting at the Mineral Springs Town Hall. Early voting will be September 13-19 at the Howard County Clerk's Office in the courthouse in Nashville.Special Thanks To Saratoga, Ark Digest